What are these phrases being used [for new House watchers] March 21, 2010

In 45 second bursts, each side of the aisle is getting their sound bites in for the folks back home. A D says Stalinism, an R says tyranny. Now they are trading hard luck stories. The D’s talk about people who were denied coverage-even from birth. The R’s are still saying that the “people have said no to the ABC’s of Pelosicare”.

The Minority Leader asserted that Armageddon was at hand this morning.

We already had that, didn’t we-in the fall of 2008?

Another phrase being used this evening is “heed the gavel”, which means just what you think it wouldlisten to the person wielding it! When they say your time is up-it’s up!

“I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend my remarks” means that a member is making a timed statement now and may submit additional remarks after the floor session is over.

“Take down the member’s remarks” was also claimed this afternoon when one member said that the D’s were not taking health care away from veterans, as the R’s were asserting. This has no secretarial meaning, but means in fact that the person reciting this statement has been insulted or they feel that the other member has violated the House rules of decorum. This incident created a few minutes of absolute silence while the clerk reviewed the member’s remarks.